Foreclosure of a Dream
by tgjluvsbadboys
Summary: Set after Bonnie and Damon return from the other side. Damon learns Elena had her memories erased & is devastated. And what about Elena? Damon's back, but he's not hers anymore by her own design. Now, she is forced to face what she did & how it hurt him. Will he forgive her, or will he move on with Bonnie? Who now realizes there's much more to Damon than fangs & attitude. Rated M
1. Chapter 1

**Foreclosure of a Dream**

**Set after Bonnie and Damon return from the other side. This will feature some cannon, but it is mostly A/U.**

**I do not own any characters of The Vampire Diaries. The characters are all owned by L.J Smith, Julie Plec and the CW. I am not making any money on this, so don't sue me for copyright infringement.**

**Title of this story comes from the song by Megadeth-1992.**

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**Mystic Falls: The center of town.**

There is a loud whoosh and a crack of what sounds like lightning. I feel the rush of adrenaline and suddenly I'm free falling at an alarming speed. It's only seconds, but it feels like forever before I hit the ground—hard. I bounce like a super ball, once—twice, before I land again with a thud. Every inch of my body hurts and I let out a deep groan as I struggle to hold on to consciousness. Lethargically, I blink open my eyes and struggle to focus on my surroundings. It's so dark at first I can't see anything, but then my vision sharpens as my senses take over and I realize I'm lying in the middle of the town square of Mystic Falls. My eyes take in the familiar buildings, amazed at seeing them again before they land on the burnt out shell that used to be The Grill.

Elena and I drove my car right into that bitch and broke the Travelers hold on the town. I remember it like it was yesterday. Maybe it was, but it seems so much longer than that…and then I notice the repairs on the building and realize it must be much longer than yesterday. They've started a major overhaul on the place that looks like months of work, not days.

"What the hell?" I mutter softly, slowly rising to my hands and knees.

"Fuck…" I hiss, everything seems to hurt all at once.

My arm gives out and I see it bent at an odd shape. Great, I've somehow broken my arm. And then I smell blood. It's strong and my fangs drop. I glance down and I'm stunned to realize my hands are covered in it and it's mine.

Why are my fangs dropping at the smell of my own blood? I haven't done that since I was newly turned and still excited at the smell of blood—any blood, even my own.

I don't have too much time to ponder the weirdness of my actions, because I hear a soft and definitely painful moan to my right and notice Bonnie face first on the asphalt a few feet away from me. She looks like a broken doll, her body twisted in ways it shouldn't be; like a marionette with its strings cut, lying in a heap, crumpled and broken.

This is all wrong and I wrack my brain as I try and remember what the hell happened to us?

I'm drawing a complete blank and I don't like it. The last thing I remember is having to say good-bye to Elena and then me and witchy-poo standing in the light—holding hands of all things, and then…nothing.

I slowly manage to crawl across the space between me and Bonnie. My arm is hurting like a bitch and she's whimpering, obviously in pain. I feel the overwhelming urge to heal her and make her well again. I chalk it up to not wanting Elena to blame me for her BFFs' death—once again. Her eyes flicker open when I lean over her and to my surprise, there's a tenderness in her green gaze that I've never seen before.

I almost balk when she places her palm against my cheek. "Damon…" she says softly and then she smiles. I mean smiles at me as if I'm her knight in shining freaking armor! Okay, I'm officially a little freaked out, because Bonnie-freakin-Bennet just looked at me like I'm her end all be all.

Maybe we've landed in an alternate universe after all!

Except it sure as hell looks like Mystic Falls to me, so instead of letting her know how bad she just tripped me out, I smirk at her. "Judgy," I say in reply.

Again the witch stuns me when her eyes cloud over and-holy crap!—is that pain I see?

And by pain, I don't mean from her injuries. This is like I just stomped on her favorite puppy pain or broke her heart pain.

Okay, seriously, what the hell is up with her?

I decide to ignore Bonnie's bizarre reaction to me and focus totally on her injuries. Her legs are broken and so is her back—if I'm any judge. And since I've done my fair share of damage to the human body—I'm saying I am a judge.

Broomhilda needs some of my blood, or she and Stephen Hawking will be Masters of their Universe in matching wheelchairs!

Without thinking any more on it, I bite my wrist, holding it to her mouth. She doesn't fight me, but she's not really drinking either. "C'mon," I say, "drink." She opens her mouth a bit, but not enough to get any of my blood and all too soon my wrist heals. Shit! I pull her closer and I hear her cry out in pain as I lift her up; she's practically in my lap now and I'm not giving up on her. "You're not dying on me, dammit," I command and bite into my wrist again.

This time when I place my wrist at her lips, she responds. She starts to drink and her limbs immediately begin to heal, but that's expected. What isn't expected is the vigor with which Bonnie starts to drink; it isn't like she just sips at my blood. No. To my utter shock, the girl grasps my wrist in both hands and starts in on me like I'm an 'All You Can Eat Damon Buffet' and she's starving!

As her body knits itself all back together, she finds the strength to turn and straddle me. Normally if a girl just jumped me, I'd simply push her off, but I'm honestly too stunned to move, because really? Since when are me and witchy on lap-dance status?

"Bonnie…" I start, but then her hips start to move and before I know it, she's got her legs wrapped around my waist and she's grinding on me, drinking my blood and—fuck me running backwards! To add to my confusion, I'm hard in seconds flat. And the worst thing is, I don't know if I'm more pissed at her for reacting like this, or me because my body's betraying me and my love for Elena!

Bonnie licks at me, holds me tight and suddenly she's moaning and groaning and—holy shit! She shudders, her whole body stiffening and then her eyes flutter closed and she goes totally limp on top of me.

I sit there dumbfounded, stunned speechless—for the first time in like forever. Did she just…? I sniff the air, and yep, the scent is unmistakable; it confirms my suspicions.

I see she's passed out and that's probably for the best, because I'm not sure I could be held responsible for all the wild shit that wants to fly from my mouth right now. As freaking strange as it sounds, Bonnie Bennett just had an orgasm while drinking my blood! And normally, I'd laugh my ass off and never let her live it down, except I can't. That was so not normal and I feel like I just walked right out of Outer Limits and into the fucking Twilight Zone!

"What. The. Fuck!" I mutter, because as pleased as I am to see she is totally healed, I'm just as equally freaked out.

Something has obviously changed between Bonnie and me and I haven't a clue when, where or why it happened. All I know, is there is no way in hell, Little Ms. Judgy Pants would have ever drank my blood, much less enjoyed it to the point of no return, so I better find the answers to this situation and pronto.

Maybe it's a spell that came back with us from the other side? But why would anyone cast a spell for Bonnie to want me? Makes no sense. Well, unless the person wanted to play the worst cosmic joke of all time on the Universe, that is. I sigh as I go over and over scenarios until my head hurts. After far too much thinking, I realize my body has healed from my injuries and I get to my feet and stretch. Physically I feel great, while my brain feels like it just went through one of Bonnie's aneurisms. I take another long look around. The square is empty, but its pitch black and I have no idea what time it is. I can see lights off in the distance…and I shake my head at the mundaneness of the families' in those houses. Suburbia in its finest, living their normal little lives, chugging away to make the mortgage payment, while totally ignorant of the seriously insane crap this town has gone through.

I'm suddenly tired as hell and dammit! I need to see Elena. I miss her so bad my chest aches with the thought of her. I need a drink too. Hell, at this point, I could probably use the drink *before* I see Elena. Get my head straight before I tell the love of my life I'm back from the dead. With that thought in mind, I heft Bonnie over my shoulder and head for the Boarding House, my mind going through all the cheesy opening lines I can use on baby bro to announce my arrival.

I can't wait to see his face and yeah, not all of that is sarcasm…

Bonnie lets out a sound of distress and I readjust her to a more comfortable position in my arms. I look down into her face and stare with more than a bit of morbid curiosity. She looks peaceful—yeah too damn peaceful. That freaks me out all over again as I remember her coming apart on my lap! I sigh again. I have no idea what is up with her and I don't like not knowing. Especially when it comes to witches. Bonnie has always been a pain in my ass, but this time she's thrown me for a freaking loop!

On a more positive note, at least this time I can honestly tell Elena I didn't kill her friend; I saved her. And that should make me feel good, right? Except, with my lack of memory of everything after I died…why am I thinking this might be only the beginning of my worries?

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I enter the Boarding House a little while later and a lot longer than it would normally take me to get there at vamp speed. I'm not up to par, but I guess that's to be expected—after all, I *did* just return from the freaking dead!

It's quiet and dark. There's a low fire burning in the fireplace in the parlor and I try and listen, but can't detect any other voices in the house.

Not the welcome I was expecting. Where the hell is everyone?

I set Bonnie down on one of the couches and immediately head to my wet bar. I sigh in pleasure when I spot my bottle of Evan Williams 23. This particular bottle normally costs three hundred and fifty bucks—of course, I got it with nothing more than a bit of compulsion, but my taste buds don't care how I got it. They appreciate the flavor of the twenty three year old Kentucky bourbon, no matter the cost to my wallet.

I pour myself a generous three fingers full and do not do the brew justice as I gulp it down in one shot. I sigh as it burns so good on the way down.

"Yes," I moan and pour another glass.

Now that my craving is somewhat satisfied, I manage to make this one last three swallows, before I'm pouring my third tumbler. This one I sip as I make my way over to the fireplace. The embers are burning low, but being here—at home, it just feels…right, somehow. I turn and look at Bonnie, who is still passed out and I frown as my head begins to go over what happened earlier. I'm pulled away from that drama by the sound of a squeal coming from upstairs. My brow shoots up as I realize someone is here after all. My vamp prowess must be really off since I didn't hear anything before that awful squawk, which (and I'm hoping I'm wrong here) sounded a lot like Blondie.

Not exactly the person I want to welcome me home. However, I head for the stairs just the same, following her (obnoxious) giggles all the way to (what the fuck?) my brother's room. I open the door and wish I hadn't, because there is vampire Barbie and my baby bro playing tonsil hockey on his bed and fuck me, but I hope we have bleach because I'm going to need it to wash that vision off my retinas!

"Now I know I've landed in an alternate universe if you two are together," I mutter.

Barbie lets out a scream that may have busted my eardrums and leaps off my brother as if he's suddenly developed a bad case of the clap and my bro—God bless him is staring at me like he's seeing a ghost. And, well, I guess I can understand that, because in a way he is I suppose.

"Honey, I'm home…and you have some splainin' to do," I quip, motioning with my hand at him and Caroline.

"Oh. My. God. Damon!" Caroline screams again, hurting my ears with the vehemence and volume of her voice.

"A simple Damon would do—God sounds so pretentious," I say, smirking at her.

Stefan is still just staring at me and I'm beginning to think seeing me returned from the other side has fried whatever wits he had left, which obviously isn't many if he's dating Blondie now…but still. Don't want baby bro to be a vegetable and all that.

"Stef, it's me. I'm not a ghost."

"Damon?" he breathes, his voice hoarse and guttural.

"Yep," I confirm, popping the 'P'. "In the flesh."

"Damon…?"

I nod. "Last time I checked."

"Is it really you?"

"C'mon Stef, even you couldn't have regressed this quickly," I tell him frowning. "It's me. Who else is this irresistible?" I flash a teasing grin, hoping to get him worked up so that whatever neurons he has left will start firing on all eight cylinders again.

In a flash Stefan is in front of me, eyes wide, almost teary and glassy. "I can't believe it's really you," he says, his eyes roaming over my form quickly as if to reassure himself that it's really me. I start to reply, most likely with something snarky, but before I can, he grabs me up in a hug that very nearly snaps my spinal cord and possibly ruptures my spleen to boot. I grunt, but manage give him a squeeze back, despite the pain his embrace brings to my newly healed body and the whole new level of awkward I'm feeling at his overwhelming show of affection.

"Damon…I…I just can't believe it. I tried…but then…I couldn't and it seemed so hopeless…"

He's rambling now, muttering nonsense about trying to get me back and then trying to start over and not being able to and truthfully it's kind of creepy the way he just keeps on hugging me (way past the point of a friendly clap on the back) and talking to himself while keeping his death grip on me.

Hey I was just as happy to see my brother as he was to see me, but when we passed creepy and headed into a disturbingly affectionate hug, I finally manage to grab him by his shoulders and push him off me, putting a more comfortable arms distance between us. "Okay…um Stef, I just got back and I get that you missed me. Missed you too, bro, but can you manage not to squeeze the newfound life out of me just yet. I'd like to live long enough to see Elena thank you very much."

I ease my words with a half-smile and it works like a charm. He immediately steps back, but I'm not sure if it's me, or what, but Stefan and Caroline both look away almost guiltily, and I swear it seems like the awkward dial just jacked up a notch (or a hundred) at the mention of my girlfriend's name. Now why the hell would that be?

"Stefan, please tell me you didn't let anything happen to her while I was gone?"

Caroline saves him from answering by interrupting whatever he was about to say. "Damon, if you're back, where's Bonnie?"

I can feel the tension radiating off her, but I keep my eyes on my brother because there's something in his eyes I'm not liking. "She's downstairs," I say and this time I'm prepared for the screech that leaves Blondie's mouth, and just like I'd hoped, she flashes out of the room, heading downstairs for a much awaited reunion with her bestie.

Good, because Steffie has a story to tell me and something tells me I'm not going to like it. Dammit, can't I even come back from the dead without drama?!

"Damon…about Elena…" he hedges, sitting on his bed and hanging his head.

Apparently not.

Every nerve ending in my body goes on red alert because if something happened to Elena—again—under his watch, well, I don't know what I'll do. And I have to remind myself that killing my brother on my first night back would be in really bad form.

"Brother, what have you done?"

"Not me," he says softly. "Elena."

"Elena what?" I ask, my body so tense I'm surprised my teeth aren't cracking I'm gritting them so hard.

"She…"

He stops, takes a breath and shakes his head and my patience is seriously at its end.

"She fucking what, Stefan?!" I jump to the worst case scenario, and in a soft deadly voice I ask the question I dread most in this world. "Is she dead?"

Stefan's eyes go wide. "No! No, I swear, Damon, nothing like that."

"Then what?" He's silent for another moment and that's it. I pretty much snap. I've never been known for my calm demeanor and after the freaky night I have already had—I need to know Elena is okay and Stefan is seriously beginning to piss me off. "What the fuck happened to Elena?" I snarl, grabbing him by his shirt and hauling him to his feet so we were nose to nose, eye to eye. "Tell me!"

"She had Alaric erase her memories of you—of you and her in love," he blurts out.

My hands go numb and slack, dropping by my side as if led weights are tied to my wrists.

Did he just say what I thought he did?

"What did you say?" I rasp, needing confirmation, but desperately hoping for anything but.

Stefan looks like he's going to cry and that's when I know. He's not playing or messing with me in some twisted little game. He's as serious as a heart attack and suddenly I feel as if I'm having one. My head is spinning too and I think I might actually throw up as well.

"I'm sorry, Damon," Stefan explains. "She was in so much pain and she…" He shakes his head again as if trying to find the right words to crush my heart. "She just couldn't take it. She had Alaric change her memories." He winces so I know my face must be showing the pain I'm feeling. "I'm sorry."

I simply stare at my brother, too stunned for words as my world crashes and burns and starts to bleed into a crimson wave of agony of despair. Elena doesn't love me anymore and by her own choice. It hurts like nothing I've ever known and I think that maybe—just maybe, I'm in hell after all…

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Okay that is the first chapter… Okay so this story (at first) is not really a Delena or Bamon story. It's really Damon's story. It will be about how he deals with what Elena has done. (Grr-that really pissed me off in the show!) Elena chose to go back to a time when she hated Damon and he will be forced to witness it. Will he even want her back? Or should he move on with Bonnie who he has gotten much closer too—closer than he even realizes and before you ask—yes, (spoiler alert) Damon will get his memory back and Bonnie and his relationship on the 'other side' will be revealed. I am a huge Delena fan, but I am so irritated with what Elena did that I think she should have to fight for Damon now. He's fought long and hard for her—right? Well, in this she will, but will it be enough? I have several chapters of this story completed with him leaning towards both of them—you guys can review and let me know which way you'd like to see it go, because honestly, at this point, I'm not sure who I want him with. Bamon is kind of hot…But, I will always love Delena.

Anyhow, hope you liked this first part. Click that little button there and let me know what you think. Reviews are love and feed the muse.

Hugs… :)


	2. The Great Gig in the Sky

Foreclosure of a Dream

Part 2: The Great Gig in the Sky

Chapter title by Pink Floyd 1973

I own none of TVD characters. They are the property of L.J Smith, Julie Plec and the CW. This story is for entertainment value alone.

Thanks for all the reviews and comments. I was surprised there weren't as many for Delena. I guess a lot of people out there are like me and pretty ticked off at Elena's choice to erase her love for Damon and her decision to keep her amnesia didn't help.

Okay, so this story is all in first person. It will revolve mostly around Damon's POV, because, like I said, this is really his story, but there will be chapters in other's POV as well.

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**Bonnie's POV**

With a gasp, I bolt upright, awakening with a snap. For a moment I'm disorientated. My head hurts, like I've overdosed on magic and my eyes dart frantically around the room. I'm on a couch at the boarding house. It's been my home for the last six months, so I settle down. At least we weren't transported to some other new kind of hell! I get up from the couch, feeling alive, energized and every nerve ending is twitching like electric currents are running through my veins. I know this feeling. It's Damon's blood. It makes me feel like I'm on a supernatural high; my body hums with the rush of power.

One thing is still confusing though. How did I end up taking a nap on the couch?

The last thing I remember is jumping into the portal with Damon…

Yeah, after months of searching we had finally found a way (without using Kai or his tool) to bridge the gap between the two sides.

It had all started when Damon and I had found a ritual in one of his books. It was a diary really, and it was written by a woman named Celeste. She was a powerful witch and she was in love with a vampire…

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_We were searching through Damon's books, looking for anything magical that might give us a clue or a lead in how we could open a portal to cross over without bringing Kai with us when I found a worn leather bound book buried behind an ancient looking tome depicting Aristotle's argument on truth and fatalism. As I flipped through the book I'd discovered, reading each entry, I became more and more excited._

"_Damon, what is this?"_

_He eased up behind me to look over my shoulder. "Looks like a diary. A really old one too. Why?"_

_He'd given it a cursory glance, but hadn't really looked at it. I could tell, because if he had, he would have been as excited as I was._

"_No," I corrected him. "It's so much more than that. Her name was Celeste, She was in love with a vampire. A powerful vampire. She shared blood with him in a ritual to let her absorb some of his power." _

_Damon perked up at that. "Wait a minute. I've heard of this. It's mentioned in Emily Bennett's journal." He raced across the room to get the book he was looking for. _

_While Damon was searching for my ancestor's diary, I was reading and when I came to an entry that mentioned the vampire's name, I paused, stunned. _

"_I got it," Damon said just as I told him he needed to see what I found. _

_Damon read from Emily's diary. "There is a magical bond between vampire and witch. It started with the witch who made the Original Vampires. She was their mother—it's in the blood." _

_Damon raised his eyes. "Makes sense."_

"_Yeah and look who Celeste's lover was." I put my finger on the name that had caught my attention._

"_Elijah," we said in unison. _

"_So, Elijah let this witch drink from him?" He snorted. "Figures, he always seemed like the only Original that actually believed in the concept of love. It makes sense he'd sacrifice his power for it."_

"_Please, like you wouldn't do the same for Elena."_

"_First of all, Elena's not going to suck my power out of me if she drinks from me. Blood sharing between vampires is not about a soul sucking power snatch. It's just hot." I grimaced and Damon chuckled, flaring his eyes at me. "Must be a vampire thing." _

_"Whatever. And she didn't snatch his power from him," I told him, speed reading through the journal, heart pounding as I began to realize Celeste's experience might be the solution to getting home. "Drinking from Elijah didn't affect his strength. It just made Celeste stronger. And the more she drank from him, the more power she had."_

_Damon zeroed in on what I was saying immediately and exploited it with joyful glee. "So, let me get this straight," he said and I cringed at the cocky tone in his voice. "The key to getting your mojo back—full force and then some, is in my blood. Which I would have to share…with you."_

_I refused to look at where this might take me. The thought of drinking vampire blood made me want to gag, but I couldn't deny Celeste's words. It was in the blood. That was the key to going home._

_Damon smirked. "I'm all in, as long as you return the favor Judgy." I hesitated and Damon's expression turned cajoling. "Oh c'mon, Bon-Bon, pancakes and blood bags have gotten really old."_

There was a definite whine in his voice and I think I rolled my eyes at him so hard, I might have dislodged them altogether, but in the end, I agreed to share blood with him. And that would have been fine if it would have been a one-time thing. But it wasn't. Celeste and Elijah had shared many times before her power got to the level that she wrote about in her diary. So, over the next couple of weeks, Damon and I began a routine of blood exchanges; tit for tat, he took from me and I took from him. It started out innocent enough. For Damon, it was fresh blood 'right from the tap' as he put it. For me, it was a means to an end. We wanted to go home and this was our best bet to do it without bringing the malicious Kai along for the ride. Except the more we shared, the more we wanted. To my shock, I quickly discovered vampire blood could be addictive and soon we were doing it more than once a day.

We hadn't even realized it had started becoming more about the experience, rather than feeding or a ticket to go home, until the day we crossed the line and it became obvious the blood sharing was affecting us in ways we'd never expected.

It happened the day we opened the portal…

_Damon retracted his fangs from my neck and leaned back against the couch, an expression of bliss on his handsome face. "Mmm, I gotta tell you Bon-Bon, your blood is divine," he said, licking both his fingers and his lips. _

_I let go of his wrist and collapsed against the cushions, my body humming with power. It was like I was high. I wanted more and told him so. It didn't take much convincing to get Damon to come back for seconds, but this time something happened when we pulled back. He raised his head and we were so close. I couldn't help but notice how striking his eyes were. I could see how crisp and clear the blue was and I said something about them being so beautiful. For the first time in like ever, Damon didn't come back with some snarky comment. No, instead he just stared at me, intensely. The tension in the room was thick and we were high on blood, plus it had been six months since we'd been stuck in 1994 Mystic Falls; we were so lonely. And yeah, maybe it's an excuse, but it just felt right to lean forward and I'm still not really sure who kissed who—one moment we were just close, the next our lips were colliding and it was all tongues and hands—tasting, groping, exploring. _

_It was the kind of kiss that made your toes curl and I honestly don't know if we would have stopped if Kai hadn't barged in, interrupting us. _

"_Well, don't you two look awfully chummy?"_

_We leapt apart like scalded cats. What had we done? Shame flooded me as Damon and I avoided eye contact. It was the blood, I knew it, but it still didn't make the guilt any less. I had just kissed my best friend's boyfriend and cheated on Jeremy (who just happened to be said best friend's brother) all in one very foolish move! _

_Kai was looking for information. We had ignored him the last couple of weeks and he was starting to get antsy that we had found a way home (which we had) without him. And he wasn't having it. Except he made two mistakes that day. The first was when he grabbed me and tried to suck my magic from me like he had before, except this time I was prepared for him and the infusions of Damon's blood had worked and I could feel the power flowing inside me. _

_Kai's eyes went wide and he gasped. "Whoa, that is one hell of a power boost you've gotten there, Bon!"_

_I smirked and the entire house shook when I blasted the boy across the room, bouncing him off the wall next to the fireplace. Kai got to his feet and threatened to make me pay for that and that was his second and last mistake. Threatening my life hadn't gone over well when Damon was on nothing more than old blood bags and human food. It was a really stupid move with Damon hopped up on witch's blood. Before I could even think to stop him, Damon blurred over to Kai, yanked him up by the collar of his shirt and snapped the boy's neck with a loud *crunch*. _

"_Damon!" I cried, but it was too late. Kai's body dropped to the ground with a thud and lay broken at his feet._

_Damon stood over him, panting. "I warned him," he said, raising those pretty blue eyes, but now they were wild, unfocused. "I told him if he ever put hands on you again…I'd kill him. He should've listened."_

_Damon had just killed to protect me and yet somehow I wasn't horrified or disgusted. It was the blood sharing; it was changing us. I was beginning to feel a connection to Damon that was beyond friendly and I was worried that if we stayed much longer—there'd be no going back._

"_We have to try the ritual tonight."_

_He agreed, but we both knew it would require another blood exchange to get me powerful enough to open a portal to cross over. We spent the rest of the day gathering what we'd need for the spell and desperately avoiding talking about what had happened between us earlier. _

_We had everything we needed. Damon was in the parlor, setting the scene for the ritual, putting all the ingredients on the table next to the large silver bowl needed to mix all the components for the spell. He placed the four candles that symbolized North, South, East and West around the bowl in the middle of the table and stood, dusting his hands on his pants. It was time for the blood sharing. _

"_Okay. That's everything." He raised his gaze to mine and I felt myself falling into the stunning blue depths of his eyes. The awkward meter raised to an uncomfortable level and Damon frowned, his thick brows drawing down as he muttered a quick curse. "Stop looking at me like that!"_

_I wasn't sure what he meant. "Like what?"_

"_Like I'm a snack you can't wait to get another taste of."_

"_I'm sorry." I flushed in embarrassment. "Maybe this isn't a good idea…"_

"_It's the only one we have. And I think we both know we have to get out of here and back home—pronto!"_

_He was right. We'd crossed the line. "I know. And despite what happened earlier, we need to do this so we can go home."_

"_Right," Damon agreed. "Home. To Elena…and Jeremy." He paused, letting out a long sigh. "I love her, Bonnie, with everything I have, I love Elena. And you love Jeremy." I nodded and he went on. "I think we'd both agree we could live out the rest of our existences without them ever knowing we..."_

_He didn't need to finish."Yeah." In no way, shape, or form did I want to tell Elena I macked on her boyfriend, but I'm also a terrible liar. Something in my expression must have alerted Damon to my internal struggle._

_"You can't be thinking of spilling the beans?! Trust me, in this, the truth will definitely not only set us free, but it'll get us single as well! And for what? Because we got carried away blood sharing. It happens, Bon. Trust me."_

_"I do," I said and I realized it was true. I did trust Damon. "We'll be fine as long as we remember it's just the blood making us feel whatever it is we...um..." _

_"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Damon interrupted brusquely He sat on the couch. "Let's do this," he said. _

_I sat next to him and he took my wrist. I didn't say a word about him choosing to drink from there when he'd all but blackmailed me into letting him drink from my neck when we started this whole thing, because it was for the best and we both knew it. He bit into his wrist and for a moment I hesitated, staring at it, at his blood, before I brought his bloodied wrist to my lips and started to drink. There was a rush of pure pleasure and when his fangs pierced my flesh, it felt so good, I let out a soft moan. Damon growled and used his tongue to coax more blood from me. My heart and body throbbed with excitement and I scooted closer. His hand tightened on my wrist and we drank and drank…and drank some more, fighting the sexual aspect of it the entire way._

_When we finished, I was surging with power. _

"_I can do this," I told him and we started the spell. _

_The candles flared high, the flames shooting up nearly five feet in the air as I spoke the words in Latin that would open a gateway to cross over. And it worked! A portal opened, right there next to the fireplace, swirling with colors and pulling at us, but the energy suddenly changed and instead of taking us home, it let something in. A woman. _

_Damon and I shared a stunned look of confusion when a tall, raven haired woman dressed all in black and bearing a striking resemblance to Megan Fox walked out of the churning mass of colors and into the boarding house. _

_The portal zipped closed behind her and Damon let out a nasty expletive. He looked homicidal, but I was quiet. The power radiating off the woman was a little intimidating—even as juiced up with magic as I was right then. _

"_Who the hell are you and why did you hijack our ride?" Damon snarled at the woman, fists clenching._

"_I am Morrigan," she replied, "Celtic Goddess of the Crow, of Death, and of War. Queen of shape shifters and High Priestess of Witches. _

"_Yeah, that's one hell of a title sweetheart, but it doesn't answer my other question. Why did you hitch a ride on our portal?"_

"_Because I could not allow you to leave my creation without meeting you."_

"_Your creation?" I said. "You're the one who put Kai here?"_

"_He killed his family-they were witches. I am the High Priestess of Witches," she said as if that explained everything._

"_If you put him here, then you know I killed your little pet earlier today," Damon told her, that sarcastic smirk curled one side of his mouth upwards and I wanted to tell him not to be so cocky, but it was too late. _

_Morrigan turned her strange colored eyes on him and smiled. "As was expected. Pets often kill each other. The strong survive. The weak perish."_

_Damon reared back, her words sinking in. "Pet! What the hell are you talking about?" He scowled. "I'm not your pet."_

"_But you are," she refuted calmly. "I am Goddess of the Crow. Is that not the shape you take when you are not a vampire?"_

_I gasped. Damon could shape shift? Why had I never heard of this particular talent of his before now?! "Okay, what did you say?" I turned on Damon, arms crossed. "You can turn into a crow? Why did you never tell me?"_

_Damon rolled his eyes. "Because, I can't. At least, not exactly." He shrugged and moved across the room to pour himself a glass of his ever present bourbon. "I can see through the eyes of a crow—manipulate it to do my bidding," he added with a smirk at Morrigan, saluting her with his glass before he finished it off. "But I'm not freaking Dracula! And lady you're way off base if you think I can go poof and become a bird!"_

"_Close enough," Morrigan said, still wearing that disturbingly confident smile._

"_What do you want?" I asked her, suddenly nervous, because I had a feeling I knew by the way she was so focused on Damon._

_And as I suspected, she kept her gaze focused solely on Damon, her weird purple eyes darkening with something hungry, like he were a cool drink of water on a hot summer day. It was creepy, but her words were even more so. "I want you, Damon. You are mine and I've come to collect."_

_Of course Damon had more than a few snarky remarks to say about that, all of which had me worrying for his safety as the Goddess got angrier and angrier with each snide remark. In the end, however, Morrigan had brushed his attitude aside, with the sinister promise that he would adjust to his new position by her side or watch everyone he loved die._

_And that was the straw that broke Damon's flimsy control and he rushed the woman, snatching her up by the neck and slamming her against the wall. Plaster cracked and furniture was broken as they flew around the room in a swirl of super powers, but it was all one sided. Morrigan tossed Damon away as if he were nothing more than a gnat. I added my magic to the fight, but not to attack her. I focused on the magic that opened the gateway to cross over. The house shook as if a 7.0 earthquake was rolling across town. Books tumbled from shelves. Glass shattered and furniture began to crumble and fall to the floor in a broken heap. I must have let loose everything, because this was like Armageddon opening up. Damon's gaze shot to mine and I could tell he was impressed with the magical display. _

_A loud bang echoed around the room and then the portal was there, churning open with a huge gust of wind. _

_Damon lunged for me and caught me around the waist. "Nicely done, Bon-Bon! Let's go." _

_I could barely hear him over the howling of the wind. "Hurry!" I shouted back. Morrigan raised her arms and began to chant. I couldn't understand the language, but I think it was Gaelic. Panic gripped me. "Now!_

_Damon smiled and with a burst of super speed he shot us across the room and towards the churning mouth of the portal. _

_Morrigan turned to us, her purple eyes glowing. "See you on the other side," she'd said, a sly smile twisting her ruby red lips._

And that was the last thing I heard before Damon and I leaped into the light. Morrigan's voice echoed in my head and that was the only warning I had before my skull nearly exploded with a white hot agony that made me feel as if it was simply going to split wide open. And somewhere in all that, my respect for Damon grew, because now I'm pretty sure I know how he feels when I give him one of my magical migraines—they suck! The pain would have been crippling had Damon not been carrying me.

As we fell, we were spinning out of control, colors all around us. It was like being trapped in a crazy, chaotic kaleidoscope and parachuting without a chute. We plummeted downward into the colors at speeds that made me want to puke. I couldn't hear anything beyond the loud buzzing in my ears and then…it was over. We just stopped, landing hard, and there was pain. Lots of it—more than I could take and I must have passed out, but I vaguely remember Damon telling me to drink.

Did that really happen? His blood is filling me, but we shared a lot today. Did we actually get out, or was it a trick and we're really still on 'The Other Side'? And where's Damon? I don't see him anywhere and after the last six months—he'd be here for me, I know he would.

And then it dawns on me that just because I made it out of Morrigan's magical mystery invasion, doesn't mean he did.

"Oh no!" Panic fills me. All I can think is great! While I've been playing 'While You Were Sleeping', Damon might be starring in his own version of 'Fifty Shades of Grey' with some obsessed Goddess who wants to make him her new boy-toy!

Just then I hear a scream somewhere in the house and I swear I only have a small heart attack when Caroline is suddenly standing directly in front of me.

"Oh my God!" I gasp and stumble back, nearly falling on my ass.

"Bonnie? Is it really you?" She says my name like she's in shock to see me standing there.

That makes two of us.

"Yeah Care, it's me."

It's been six months since I've seen her or anyone else from Mystic Falls. It's like I don't know how to act. But Caroline takes the decision away from me when she throws her arms around me and she's crying and…its home. I'm home. I hug her back and in seconds we're standing in the middle of the parlor just clinging to each other, sobbing about how much we missed each other and laughing about how good it is to be reunited. For a moment, I forget about Damon. I forget about everything, because I never thought I'd see Caroline again. But that only lasts for a moment. I need to know if he's alright. I pull back and ask her where Damon is.

If Caroline is surprised at my question, she only shows it for a second in the slight widening of her eyes.

"He's upstairs with Stefan," she tells me and my heart rate immediately settles down as relief floods me. "And why do you care?" She crosses her arms, eye brow cocked as she studies me. "Don't tell me you two are actually friends now?"

Feeling like a bug under a microscope, I shrug and downplay my connection with the blue eyed vampire. "Maybe not friends, but we did spend six months together. It kind of lends to the whole bonding experience."

"Yeah, okay, whatever," she replies with a sniff and the sarcasm is unmistakable. Obviously Caroline still has issues with Damon.

"Care, you do realize he sacrificed himself to save this town, right?"

She's immediately contrite. "I know. God, I'm being a bitch again, aren't I? It's just—it's Damon and he's so—ugh! But Stefan missed him so much and I need to be happy he's here and…" She stops to take a much needed breath before going on. "It doesn't matter. Bonnie, I'm so glad you're home."

Her eyes are sparkling and she's all perky and Caroline and God! I missed her so much I let most of what she said pass without comment.

Actually, now that he has Elena again and I have Jer, Damon and I will probably just go back to frienemy status anyways, so I'm not sure why I'm making a big deal out of the relationship we found on the 'Other Side'. Still that doesn't stop me from letting Caroline know that Damon and I worked together to get home and she should cut him some slack.

Caroline ponders that for a moment before nodding. "Fine, but only because you asked and despite being a world class jerk most of the time, he's still Stefan's brother and the great love of Elena's life apparently—or not—depending on if she's choosing to remember him this week." She made a face when she said that and I wondered what the hell she meant by that comment, but before I can ask, Caroline distracts me when she begins to catch me up on the happenings in Mystic Falls since Damon and I died. She goes on and on...and on about the mystical barrier that had (besides irritating her to the point of ranting apparently) kept all spirit magic at bay until about two months ago. I quickly realize that was about the same time that Damon and I ran into Kai at the grocery store and realized we weren't alone on the other side. It was also the same day I regained my magic when Damon's life was threatened.

The timing could be nothing more than a coincidence, but I doubt it. Nothing we've ever gone through has been a coincidence. The order in which things happen is usually everything.

"We should call Jeremy," Caroline chimes in, interrupting my thoughts.

I wince at how much I don't want her to do that. She picks up her phone, but I stop her, taking the phone away. "I just got back, Care. Give me a minute to get my head on straight before I drop this on him," I say softly.

Guilt invades me, slithering along my insides. I want to see Jeremy. I do, but there's also a part of me that isn't sure if I can face him yet. I am all juiced up with Damon's blood and the kiss that should have never happened…and all of it stops me from calling the boy I'd left behind. And trust me, I'd rather be tortured with hot pokers than admit it aloud, but in my deep and dirty little secretive heart, I know it's true.

I felt something for Damon earlier and I'm terrified to look at it too closely.

Caroline plasters on a chipper smile that tells me she's trying to understand my reasoning, but she really doesn't. "Yeah. I mean of course, you probably want to have some big romantic moment when you first see him again. Totally romantic, right?"

I don't correct her and the matter is thankfully laid to rest when Stefan comes into the room, followed by Damon, who looks like someone took his daylight ring and told him he was spending the next day sunbathing poolside. My heart aches for him and the sadness I see in his eyes. In the last six months, I've come to know Damon pretty well. I've seen him suffer with the remorse he feels for some of the things he's done in his past, but this is worse. Right now, he looks as bad as I've ever seen him and I know it has something to do with Elena. My best friend is the only person on this planet that can put that particular expression of torment on Damon's face; I can't help but wonder what she's done to turn him inside out, because as far as I know, he hasn't even seen her yet.

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**Okay, this chapter was more a glimpse into where Bonnie and Damon's relationship went to and explain her reaction to his blood in the first chapter. I wrote it like that for a reason, because in my opinion, Bonnie and Damon would never allow themselves to get intimate with one another. They both love Elena and Jeremy too much. Something major would have to happen as an impetus to get them into that situation. What better way than blood sharing? Especially if it is the means to getting home. Anyhow, Damon still doesn't remember, and yes, I will explain why. The Morrigan character is my own creation, but she is based on the Celtic Goddess of the same name and yes, Morrigan really is the Goddess of the Crow and High Priestess of witches. **

**Still sitting on the fence about who Damon should be with. As I said earlier, Elena choosing to keep her memory loss didn't do anything to sway me in her direction. But I did applaud Stefan for actually pulling her covers and telling her the truth. I think that's the first time I've ever really, really liked Stefan! ;) In this story we will explore Bonnie and Damon's connection, but Elena will change her mind about getting her memories back. I want to see Elena fight for Damon. I think she should, after all, he's fought for her enough. **

**Anyhow, I want to comment on a few of the reviews I got. I love reading people's comments, however, some were confusing, like how one reviewer seems to know my end-game when I don't even have that intel. And said as much at the end of the last chapter. Furthermore, I did not put this fic into any category, the Mods do that and it's placed right—this is a story about Damon/Elena/Bonnie. Also, I was disturbed by one reviewer who was more than just opinionated. Everyone has a right to their viewpoint, but I think calling Bonnie disgusting is uncalled for. First of all, Kat Graham is gorgeous. Second, Bonnie is a great character. And I could see her and Damon together actually. And believe me, I *am* a huge Delena fan. So, while I really enjoy all the reviews and feedback. If you just want to be rude about the way someone looks, then I would suggest you don't read the fic.**

**Okay, now that I said my peace, enough of that. Thank you to all other reviewers who just offered constructive criticism or just said they liked or loved it or who they're rooting for. I really enjoy hearing what you all think—as long as it's not flaming or insulting. **

**Thanks again and have a great day. Throws cookies at everyone for all the support. :)**


	3. Satan Gave Me A Taco

**Foreclosure of a Dream **

**Part 3: Satan Gave Me A Taco.**

Chapter title is from a song by Beck. Circa 1994

I own none of the characters from TVD. They are all property of L.J Smith, Julie Plec and the CW. This story is for entertainment value alone.

I wanted to thank everyone for the feedback and comments. Reading the reviews never fail to inspire a spark of creativity, so thank you.

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**Salvatore Boarding House:**

**Damon's POV**

I feel like a dead man walking, and not in the sense that because I'm a vampire, I literally _am_ a dead man walking. No, this is far, far worse. This is like everything inside me has been sucked out and I'm nothing but a shell where something warm and good used to be. And yeah, maybe using warm, good, and me in the same sentence might be ironic, but that's what Elena used to give to me. She made me feel human.

And now it gone.

To make it all worse, I kind of understand Elena's choice. Apparently, I've been gone a hell of a lot longer than I thought. I swear to whatever freaking God is out there that I about fell out of my chair when Stefan told me Bonnie and I have been gone six months!

And yep, me and Witchy definitely need to have a long talk, coz I don't remember squat about our half a year on the other side and I'm really going to need her to fill in the blanks for me here.

But then Stefan let it slip that he'd spilled the beans to Elena about her brain wipe rehab and hearing that even after knowing what she'd done, she still chose to keep her feelings for me buried under Alaric's compulsion…yeah, that was a real crusher. I guess it's better than her taking off her ring and taking a walk in the sunshine, but still…why didn't she want to remember me—remember us? The only silver lining in this whole twisted mass of drama and trauma was the confirmation that Ric had made it back.

It was sweet to know he was alive and kicking—even if I did want to knock him the hell out for playing God with my girl's mind. But it's Ric and I'll forgive him, just like he forgave me for snapping his neck-once upon a time.

I'm still coming to terms with it all when Caroline starts chirping about making calls and getting everyone together. Before I died, I tolerated Blondie, but on a bad day (which this is shaping into) she could easily be the catalyst to send me over the edge.

"Yeah, I think I'll skip the welcome home Damon—party of one, thank you very much," I say as I make my way over to where I keep my liquor.

Caroline starts to argue, and honestly, doesn't she have a clue? The last thing I want right now is a welcome home bash where I have to sit here and smile and act like I give two fucks at being home when the one person I wanted to come home for doesn't even want to remember I exist!

Hell to the no!

I glance at Stefan, and thank God! It seems baby bro gets me all of a sudden, because he prevents Caroline from letting her fingers do the walking into territory I'd rather not face right now.

"Why don't we wait till tomorrow for a celebration, Care," he says gently. "I'm sure Damon and Bonnie are both too tired for all that tonight."

Caroline looks crestfallen, but Stefan works his white knight magic on her and she's all smiles again in no time. I barely manage not to roll my eyes again…barely.

"I know Damon sure is," I say as I avert my gaze away from the happy couple because…let's face it, my eyes still haven't recovered from the disturbing visual of them earlier and despite being happy as hell to see my brother—seeing him wrapped around Caroline is a sight that will take some getting used to—years perhaps.

In the meantime, I need a distraction. As always, I know the perfect one. "Yep," I mutter, snatching up my favorite bottle of bourbon. "This is all I need tonight."

Bonnie catches my eye when I turn and there's something new and kind of weird there when she looks at me. And another mystery opens up, because it looks like Judgy is suddenly on my fan-girl list and I sure as hell would like to know what I did to put her on 'Team Damon'! I'm reminded of earlier when I healed her and we took a trip to the Twilight-Erotica-Zone! In all the 'Elena erased you' drama, I'd almost forgotten about it, but something has definitely changed between us and I really need to get to the bottom of it, because it could be a spell or something.

Or worse…and I'm not even going there right now. Tonight has already been one huge let down, and truthfully, the only thing I really want to do right now is go up to my room with my bottle, soak in my utterly fabulous tub, (that I feel like I haven't seen in forever) crawl into my incredibly soft bed and sleep for a week—or until Elena decides to remember me or I finally grow a pair and decide I'm going to stop giving a fuck what Elena wants or needs!

Either or would suffice at this point. I mean really, how many times am I going to fall for that face and let it wreck me?!

And that's just what I'd do if Stefan wasn't practically bouncing off the walls like a kid with ADHD on a sugar high. He's still in shock at seeing me alive and watching me like a hawk as well. I know my brother (the mother hen) he's practically clucking over me, brows drawn down in concern, and I know it's because he's afraid I'm going to lose my shit over what Elena's done. I want to escape his watchful eyes, but I don't have the heart to leave him down here to stew. Not anymore. So, I shelf my plans for drowning my sorrows in booze and my ridiculously amazing tub. I fill four glasses with bourbon instead and I hand them out with a smile, calling upon every bit of acting talent I possess to keep cool, as if I haven't a care in the world and my heart wasn't broken tonight.

"To rising from the dead…again," I say with a smirk and raise my glass.

"To new beginnings," Bonnie adds.

Caroline's eyes meet mine and she gives me that smile that says she going to take a dig at me. "To letting go of the past, even if said past makes you want to cringe."

I chuckle, because Caroline's insults are like barbs wrapped in fluffy cotton—they rarely draw blood. She's just too damned nice and perky to ever want to do any real damage, so I take it in stride and flare my eyes and bat my lashes at her obnoxiously. "Yeah, missed you too, Blondie."

Stefan is quiet for a moment because he knows my 'devil doesn't give a damn' attitude is all an act and he's sporting the furrowed brow that (I swear) if he weren't a vampire, would have worn a groove in his forehead by now. And since (for once) I don't want to give my brother any grief, I wrap an arm around his shoulder and wave my glass under his nose. "The thing about a toast, Stef…after its made, you drink," I tell him, teasing him in my own special way that always gets a reaction from him. Good or bad.

And it still works like a charm. Stefan may know I'm 'faking it till I make it' where Elena is concerned, but seeing me smile changes his entire demeanor and (like magic) an honest to God smile breaks out across his face. I'm impressed since I was sure Stef had lost that ability eons ago.

He raises the crystal tumbler of bourbon in one hand and clasps me on the shoulder with his other. "To Family. You don't know what you have until it's gone," he says.

And while he smiles at Bonnie and Caroline, I'm his main focus, and while I'm actually feeling the love too, I'm also getting that twitchy, awkward feeling all over again. Stefan and I living in harmony will also take some getting used to. I take a small step back, just enough to give myself some breathing room and he clinks his glass against mine. He looks happy, and despite my urge to run, a smile tugs at my lips; I missed the little prick, but I'm not sure I'll ever let him know just how much.

Stefan takes a healthy swallow from his drink and his eyes find mine again. His start water and oh shit! He's going to lose it. I feel a serious (Stefan drama) moment coming on, and my mind is already coming up with ways to cut baby bro off before both of us have our Man cards rescinded!

However, once again, Stefan proves he can still surprise me and what comes out of his mouth next was the absolute last thing I'd expected.

"You once promised me a lifetime of misery…" he says, pointing a finger at me.

Caroline gasps and hisses his name in reproach, while Bonnie levels him with a look that (truth be told) is usually reserved for yours truly and is also (nine times out of ten) followed up with a mind melting headache.

And holy shit! Is that fire I see in her eyes is it merely a trick of the light?!

I don't want to find out. Obviously, Bonnie has her mojo back and since I'm not in the mood to see my brother become as well acquainted with her juju as I am, I try and head him off at the pass, before he says something we're all going to regret. "Well okay, that lasted longer than I expected actually," I say sarcastically, drawing attention back to myself, unwilling to show the disappointment I feel that Stefan wants to rehash our grudge now. "If you'll all excuse me…" I hold up the bottle of Evan Williams 23. "I have a bottle and a tub to soak in."

"No wait, Damon, hear me out," Stefan says quickly, grabbing my arm and preventing me from bailing on him. "What I mean is…when you said you would give me a lifetime of misery…" He shakes his head, his brow furrowing deeply, "But I never felt it. Not really." He shrugs. "Yeah, you caused me grief, but so did I. We caused each other a lot of pain, but I never really felt true misery though…at least until you were gone."

And there you have it ladies and gentlemen. One drink and Stefan is rambling. Oh brother. I see the girls' eyes tear up and I start looking around the room for Kleenex, because I have a feeling this is going to be a three hankie speech.

"I always said I couldn't live with you," Stefan says, "but the truth of it is…I can't live without you. When you left…"

His voice cracks and I clasp his face in my hands, making him look at me. "I know, Stef," I say, calming him down, just like I used to when he was a kid and he'd wake up shivering after a nightmare. "I know. I'm here now. No more misery, okay?"

My intervention isn't just for his sake. There's only so much emotional anguish I can take in a night and (although I'd rather have a vervain laced stake driven into my heart than admit it) Stefan's speech is touching something inside me I thought we'd killed a long, long time ago.

I flash back to the night when he died. The agony I felt is still fresh and I only had to suffer his loss for one day, yet I pretty much went bat-shit crazy. I signed up for a suicide mission and died (for real) because of it. But Stefan…he had to deal with me dead for six months! I don't think I'd have handled it as well. He told me how he tried to bring me back, but when that didn't work, he left Mystic Falls because it reminded him too much of me. Stefan had dealt with my loss by starting over and pretending Mystic Falls didn't exist. He also told me how everyone was mad at him for it. I'm not. Truth is, if we wouldn't have had a plan to bring Stefan back that very night, I think I would have handled his loss in a far more destructive and bloodier fashion than he did mine.

It dawns on me then, in a flash of absolute clarity, Elena is not the only one tethering me to my humanity. My brother has always been the true ball and chain that keeps me from completely shutting it off completely.

Our eyes meet and hold and Stefan nods. His arms wrap around me and the next thing I know we're hugging it out again.

And yep, our brother bonding sends Caroline and Bonnie off in a rush looking for tissues. They try to disguise it, but vampire hearing allows for their sniffles to be heard halfway across the house.

"Now look what you've done…way to ruin a celebration, Stef," I tease, patting him on the chest as I step back, regaining a bit of distance between us. I've reached my quota of sad and sappy for the night.

I grab the bottle and refill his glass. "Okay, I'm making a new rule. No more tearful confessions."

I wish Ric was here, but then again, I'm still ticked about his role in Elena's form of mental rehab. I find I'm better off if I give myself a chance to blow off some steam and process, before I confront. And that's why he's on my agenda for tomorrow. I'll probably punch him in the jaw—after I hug him that is—and then he'll slug me back and we'll have a good old fashioned meeting of the fists and then we'll have a drink and get over it. After all, he's my best friend and I don't have a lot of them just waiting around. Speaking of my short list of friends.

"Hey, did Enzo make it back?" I ask, and from the reaction of both Caroline and Stefan I'm thinking that's a yes, and…shit! Looks like he hasn't played nice since I've been gone. Great.

"Yeah, he did," Stefan says. "He came back alright and took up your cause to bring me a lifetime of misery."

I mutter a curse under my breath. Stefan doesn't go into the details of what Enzo's done, but his expression speaks volumes—it's bad. Great. Looks like I'll be having a knock down drag out with both my (only) friends tomorrow. "I'll handle him, Stef," I tell him, pouring myself another three fingers worth of bourbon.

Stefan takes the bottle from my hands. "How about we leave that for tomorrow, brother. Tonight, I just want to celebrate."

To my surprise Stefan takes a swig straight from the bottle and then grins at me. "I've got my brother back. Everything else can wait."

For once, Stefan and I are on the same page. I snatch my bottle back and take a drink from it too. "Okay," I say pointing the tip at my brother, "I'm making another new rule. No more talk about a lifetime of misery and no more worries about tomorrow." I wink at him. "Tonight, we party."

Caroline gives a loud 'whoop' and flips on the music before she starts dancing around the room. Bonnie joins in. All too soon Blondie is egging me and Stefan on to join them, and normally that would probably annoy me, but Stefan is laughing as he refuses her requests…

And I realize he's really happy, so of course, I'm decide to embarrass him by grabbing his hand and forcing him to dance with me.

"C'mon Stef, let's dance…" I say and then I spin him. Stefan does his best to tug his hand free from mine, but I won't let go. Caroline and Bonnie are dancing beside us, and their laughter, clapping and cheers finally get Stefan on board for my silliness. To my surprise, (and amusement) he busts out a few moves that actually impress me and I can't help but laugh at seeing my habitually broody baby bro letting go and getting down with his bad self!

Who knew Stefan could actually dance? And even more newsworthy, who knew the first partner to uncover his hidden talent would be me?

Yeah, he's never living this down!

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**Much later: **

I wake up to gentle hands on my face and back. They trace my spine and I sigh and roll over. I'd know those hands anywhere.

"Elena?"

I blink open my eyes and catch a glimpse of those big doe eyes and cascading brown hair, before my head nearly implodes from the light streaming into my room. I immediately shut them again, warding off the pain.

Oh yeah, that's right. I tied one on last night and now I'm suffering for it.

I feel her though. She's right here, so close, I can reach out and touch. I don't. "Can you close the drapes?" I ask instead, rolling back onto my stomach and pulling the pillow over my head to shut out any and all light.

I feel her leave the bed and then my room is filled with blessed darkness. 'Thank freaking God!' Now all I need is for my head to stop pounding like the Blue Man crew is playing a full set inside my skull. However, as soon as that pain goes away, another slithers in to take its place.

Elena. What the hell is she doing here?! Aren't I on her 'Do Not Remember' list?

The bed dips as she sits next to me again. I hold my breath and there's one of those long, agonizing silences, but then her hands are on me again and she traces the muscles of my shoulders. Her touch is soft, gentle and I want to groan because really? Is this a new brand of torture she's cooked up especially for me?

"Elena what are you doing?"

"Caroline called and I had to see you."

My heart stutters for a second because her voice is husky, emotional, and for one spectacular second I think she's back, and we're going to be okay. I roll over again, a smile on my face, but it fades as soon as I see her eyes. Instead of the love and warmth I've drowned in a thousand times, I see those big brown orbs studying me as if she's trying to rediscover what she loved about me. And I know, with gut wrenching certainty, she's still partaking in the compulsion Kool-Aid.

A coldness creeps into my heart. "Why?" I ask, moving away from her all too familiar touch. I lean against my headboard and arrange the covers around my hips because I'm naked under my sheets and even brain wiped Elena can't keep her eyes from drifting over my body. Surprisingly, it doesn't give me the rush it used to. Maybe she's really broken me this time.

"Why did you need to see me, Elena?" I repeat, finally getting her attention on my face and not eating me alive with those eyes of hers. "Did you come here to convince yourself that falling in love with me was nothing more than a bout of temporary insanity—like some prolonged spring break gone horribly wrong?"

"Damon…" she says, but I cut her off.

"No! Don't Damon me. You erased me, Elena! And now you're here—without your memories of everything we shared. What am I supposed to think?"

"I would think you'd give me time…"

"I gave you years," I say, interrupting her again, "And then I finally got the girl, and she loved me. Now she doesn't. End of story—no epilogue needed."

"Is that what you really think?"

"I'm only connecting the dots you left for me to find."

"Then why am I here?"

"To dish up another pound of flesh I guess," I quip, avoiding eye contact.

"Damon…"

I cross my arms over my chest and turn away from her, because if I look at her, I'll cave. I always do.

"I'm trying to figure this out too. I may not remember loving you, but when I look at you, I feel it—something. It's just there. I'm not sure I want to forget anymore."

After her speech, she gives me a small smile—like the pity smiles she used to give me when she knew I was hopelessly in love with her and she was still trying to convince herself 'It'd always be Stefan'!

I cringe. Fuck me! She must really think I'm a sap to just sweep this under the rug and wait for her to decide I'm worthy of her love again.

"So that's it? That's your big speech? You feel…something for me, but you're not sure what it is." I let out a loud snort and I know it sounds as ugly to her as it just did to me. But I seriously don't give a shit right now because she's killing me! Slowly, but surely, this girl is ripping me apart. "Well, halle-fuckin-lujah, Elena! You're on the path to true discovery. I guess I should be grateful, right?"

I'm lashing out at her and I know it, but I can't seem to stop myself, because I'm really fucking angry with her for just deleting us from her memory bank and it's making me say things I would never say to her.

She doesn't leave like I expect. Instead she takes my hand and I hold out, not lacing my fingers with hers as I continue to avoid her eyes, because I don't want to look at her. I really can't because I can smell her tears and Elena crying has always gutted me like a fish. But then she takes my chin in her hand and I have to look at her, because (as painful as it is) I can't *not* look at her.

I watch the tears trail down her cheeks and something in me snaps. "Elena, don't." I use my thumb to wipe away the salty tracks, and yeah, this shit is making me bleed in ways Katherine couldn't even come close to, but apparently I love this girl more than I love myself, because (once again) I'm ready to fall on my sword and do something unselfish and out of character…for her.

If freedom from me is what Elena needs to be happy, then I'm going to give it to her—minus the guilt trip I really want to lay on her.

"Look before you run back to Ric for another memory whammy, there's a few things we need to talk about that I'm not sure you remember."

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that a couple weeks before I died we decided this thing between us wasn't exactly healthy." I pause, remembering our breakup sadly. "Actually, I think the word we used was toxic."

She shakes her head and I'm not really surprised she has no memory of the conversation.

"Why were we so toxic?" she asks, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

I shrug, because I didn't really think we were until Katherine took control of the wheel. But blaming Kat isn't going to give Elena the closure she needs, so I bring to mind the words she'd hurled at me that night. "Because you said I was always forcing you to compromise your beliefs and excuse my bad behavior." I flare my eyes at her (summoning the Damon she remembers) and give her my best 'aren't I a bastard' smirk. "And since I'm never going to change…" I know even as the words leave my mouth, that I'm giving her the ammunition needed to feel good about her decision and (to my credit) I manage not to flinch when she pulls away just the tiniest bit. It's barely a twitch, but I know Elena inside and out, and that small movement is a step away from me. "Well, needless to say, we came to the conclusion that I was bad for you."

"But you must have changed, because I fell in love with you."

And just like that, she's back in my head. This girl always did see through me far too easily. "Not enough."

"Do you mean you didn't change enough? Or that I didn't love you enough?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Yeah, it does, because I read the letter I left to myself. I was in love with you, Damon. Completely. So that means either becoming a vampire totally changed me—which I'm not feeling, or you changed and it made me see something in you."

I don't take the bait. Discussing the hoops I've leapt through for her would only make this conversation more awkward than it already is.

"You wrote yourself a letter?" I ask instead, rolling my eyes so hard, it a miracle they're not permanently lodged in my skull facing backwards.

She looks a little embarrassed and I almost smile. Almost…but I don't. I'm not letting her off that easily.

"I guess I wanted an escape route in case I wanted to change my mind."

I sigh. "Elena, if you really want to forget, you don't leave a trail of breadcrumbs back to the memories you want erased. Kind of spoils the whole compulsion thing."

"I guess I wasn't really sure I wanted to forget," she says, licking her lips as her eyes drop to my mouth again.

My body goes taut, blood racing to places it shouldn't and I tell myself she doesn't know what she's doing, but I'm not really buying it, because the girl has always had a fascination with my mouth and she always knew what it did to me too.

And on that note...I glance down at my over-eager soldier, internally command it to stand the fuck down and unobtrusively rearrange the sheets.

I see her gaze shifting, and for the first time I really hate how easily she turns me into nothing more than nerve endings firing all at once. To save myself the embarrassment of having her see how she affects me, my mind leaps for a distraction—any distraction. "After we broke up, you told me it wasn't that we were bad for each other," I say, thankfully drawing her attention away from my lap and back to my face, "it was that we did bad things for each other. You didn't think we made each other better, Elena. You thought we made each other worse."

"But I loved you."

"Yeah and you thought that made you a bad person because you forgave me over and over for the things I'd done." I cross my arms over my chest. "You even forgave me killing your little buddy, Aaron and after the whole Katherine fiasco, I thought you'd really lose your shit over that!"

Her reaction is so far off the grid of normal, I'm left disorientated. "Aaron? Who's Aaron?" she asks with a frown. And to make this all together far worse, before I can even begin to answer, she's turning on me, eyes darkening to a dangerous level, and shit! She looks seriously pissed. "And what do you mean the whole Katherine fiasco?" She levels an accusing finger at me and jabs it my way. "Did you and Katherine sleep together? Is that why you say I forgave you all these bad things?"

And…wow! Yeah, so I'm pretty sure my jaw is sitting in my lap right about now. Did she really just accuse me of sleeping with Katherine, Queen of all things Vile? And to top off this spectacular cluster-fuck, she doesn't remember Aaron, her pet-project and heir to the horrible Whitmore dynasty, or me killing him or even Katherine hijacking her body? My head is really starting to pound now, because Christ! What the hell did Ric do to her? I'm thinking that punch in the jaw I was planning, might turn into an angry snap of his neck! What the fuck possessed him to think he could handle this? He's only been a vampire for what? A few months. Hell, I have a dry cleaning bill on hold that's older than he is!

Elena is scowling at me and I know she's waiting for an answer. Normally, I'd laugh my ass off and tease the hell out of her for even suggesting it. Because seriously—Katherine? Ugh. But the fact that she glossed right over what I said about killing a friend of hers has me freaking the fuck out.

"Okay, first of all, no, I didn't sleep with Katherine. Never again. Not in this lifetime or any other. And did you forget the part about Aaron? I just told you I killed him and that doesn't even spark a curious why?"

Elena was quiet for a long moment before answering. "Damon, I don't remember anyone named Aaron. And maybe that's for the best. But since you brought it up. Why did you kill him?"

And now I'm officially worried as hell. Who is this girl? She just asked me why I killed her friend (who she apparently has no memory of whatsoever) with no more concern than a stranger asking me if I'd like fries to go along with my burger! And I flounder for a second, because really? How the hell do I answer her? A part of me says I should just give it to her straight, the whole unvarnished truth in one messy sit-down—like I usually do. But her head is all messed up-and shit! I'm not sure how to proceed, because this version of Elena is almost as bad as 'switch flipped off' Elena, and neither version is the girl I fell in love with.

"Okay, since it's obvious Ric erased more than your love for me from your memory. How about we start with you telling me how much of last year you actually do remember?"

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**Okay guys, there's the next part. I really want to thank everyone for all the wonderful support this story is getting. I'm like blown away and you are all amazing! :)**


	4. Stray Cat Blues

**Foreclosure of a Dream **

**Part 4: Stray Cat Blues**

**The chapter title is by The Rolling Stones, circa 1968**

**I own none of TVD characters. This story is for entertainment value only.**

A/N: Okay guys…I have had some really interesting and inspiring reviews to this story. I love them all-well mostly-except the ones that were hateful, but whatever, can't let someone's prejudices get me down. Anyhow, I'm editing chapter 6 as I post this and have up to chapter 12 finished, but all those chapters are unedited. This is looking to be a 15-20 chapter fic and (honestly) I'm still fence sitting as far as who I think Damon should be with, so… I've decided to write two alternate endings. That way, I get both my Bamon ending and my Delena fix. Now, I'm sorry if that makes some shippers mad, but if you think about it this way—everyone gets their big happy in the end. It's a win/win. So, I hope you'll bear with me and have faith that I will do each couple justice.

Thanks again for all the love this story is getting. I know my wishy-washy-ness has been hard, but I see so many positives in both relationships. So much potential for love with both Elena and Bonnie. Hang in there with me and hopefully, I can satisfy both my need for a 'very happy' Damon and yours, because really this fic is about Damon—not Delena or Bamon. OR Beremy. If you want that ship…I'd suggest you stop now, because Jeremy will not be a huge player in this story. Sorry, but I love Damon above all others and I just want that gorgeous vampire to finally get his big-fat-big-happy! I think he's earned it! :) :) Right?

Okay, enough from me. On to the next part.

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**The Salvatore Boarding House.**

**Bonnie's POV**

The first thing I realize as I wake up is I have a headache from hell itself and my mouth tastes like something crawled inside it and died.

"Ugh," I groan rolling over and sitting up. Oh bad idea! The room spins and I grab my head, hoping that will stop everything from tilt-a-whirling.

No such luck. It only gets worse and now my stomach has joined the cause and is grumbling as well.

I drank way too much last night. Especially when you consider I rarely drink—although, I have to confess Damon and I tied one on a few times over the last six months, just not like we did last night. I should have known better, but everyone wanted to celebrate and I went along for the ride—a decision I'm now sorely regretting. My stomach roils again and I take deep breaths to calm myself. After a minute or so, I slowly open my eyes to survey my environment. I'm in a large bedroom decorated in lacy white curtains and antique cherry wood furniture. I know this room. I've been sleeping in for the last six months. Funny, even as wasted as I was, I somehow managed to find this particular room out of all the other rooms in the boarding house. It almost feels like home to me now.

The world tilts wildly again and my tummy takes a nose dive and I suddenly know without a doubt I'm not through paying penance for overindulging.

"Oh God!"

I leap from the bed and barely make it to the bathroom in time to toss my cookies into the porcelain bowl located just inside the adjoining bathroom.

Once I've emptied my stomach of everything, (possibly including some major organs) I splash some cold water on my face and wash my mouth out. I open up the medicine cabinet and find it stocked with toothpaste and mouth wash. Thank God I picked this room to crash. Many of the other rooms don't have a bathroom included and I would have never made it down the endless hallways to one of the other guest baths. It was the reason I picked this bedroom when Damon and I found ourselves trapped here on the other side—that and I remembered Elena used to use this room—when she wasn't in a relationship with one of the Salvatore Brothers that is.

I wince. "Okay, that sounded catty," I say to myself in the mirror. "Even to yourself."

I know Elena never intended to lead either of them on. She was confused. You can't help who you fall in love with… right? I guess, Elena just fell for the wrong brother first. That has me rolling my eyes at myself, because honestly, I never understood her love for Damon. Yes, he's certainly easy on the eyes, but he can be a total dick, too. I always figured it was a vampire sex thing that kept her going back to him time and again. And then I got trapped with him in our own little private world and now I get it. He's a lot more than a bad-boy with a pretty face and fangs. There's a whole other side to Damon Salvatore, one he rarely lets anyone see. Elena saw it, but he would've never let me that close, had I not been trapped with him for half a year.

Speaking of a certain blue eyed vampire. I think of the talk we had last night. Damon has no memory of the other side. And it's funny, because the irony of him losing his memory while Elena erased hers was not lost on either of us, but at least now I understand why he was looking at me so weird. Damon doesn't know we actually became more than grudging frienemies. He can't recall Kai, pancakes and crossword puzzles, blood-sharing and the kiss that should have never happened. And last, but scariest of all, he doesn't have any recollection of the Goddess Morrigan, who says he belongs to her and also slapped a big whammy on us right before we jumped into the portal.

I can't help but wonder if Morrigan gave him a dose of selective amnesia to make him more vulnerable. If Damon doesn't know what she looks like, he won't know she's a threat. The thought sends a small shiver of apprehension through me and I remind myself to warn Stefan and Caroline, as well as Damon that we need to crack a few books and do some research about her before she shows up again. Not to mention, we need to get Damon his memories back before he walks right up to the bitch like some kind of sacrificial lamb.

My head is pounding again and I desperately need a shower, so I open the cupboard next to the claw foot tub (that doubles as a spectacular rainfall shower) and grab a white fluffy towel out of the neatly stacked bundles stored there. I get a sense of deja-vu because this whole routine is so familiar to me and as I turn on the water, I can't help but think if I take away the raging hangover, it's almost like I'm still back in 1994 again.

After an amazingly long and refreshing shower, I get dressed and head downstairs for some much needed coffee. I notice how eerily quiet the place is. For once Damon's not up before me. I walk into the kitchen and it just seems weird to not see him at the burner flipping pancakes and doing his 'Damon dance' to some mix on his IPod dock.

That image brings a smile to my face that lasts while I get the coffee started. It reminds me of all the silly ways he used to prepare my pancakes—the vampire ones secretly amused me, but of course, I never let him know that. I hope he's doing okay. He was pretty torn up about Elena and I felt bad for him. I can't imagine how I'd feel if Jeremy erased his feelings for me from his mind. Thinking of Jeremy makes my stomach flutter with a rush of nervous excitement/anxiety. I'm pretty sure he was really ticked at me for not telling him I wouldn't be making it back when we took down the wall to the other side, but at the same time, I really want to see him; even if he is angry with me.

With that in mind, I hurry through my coffee and scribble a quick note saying where I've gone before snatching up Caroline's car keys and heading out the door. I take two steps outside and stop, totally surprised when I spot Elena's small SUV in the drive parked behind Damon's Camaro.

"Well, that was quick," I mutter.

I don't really have to wonder who let the cat out of the bag. I'm sure it was 'well meaning' Caroline who stuck her nose where it doesn't belong again. It wasn't me and it sure wasn't Stefan, and knowing Damon the way I now do, he would have rather faced a firing squad armed with vervain laced wooden bullets than pick up the phone and call her. So, that leaves Care, and I know I shouldn't be upset with her, but there was a reason no one called Elena—despite at least one of us (me) dying to see her. Damon's a mess and while he may have put on a great front last night, the only things keeping him from going on one of his notoriously angst-ridden Elena fueled killing sprees are his brother, his bourbon and _**not**_ having a face to face with the girl who broke his heart before he's ready.

Caroline should have thought about that before making the decision (on her own) to tell Elena he was home.

For a second, I hesitate. Maybe I should stay and help him pick up the pieces if things go badly. It's what a friend would do, but then I remind myself that my feelings for Damon are all over the place and too complicated right now. Plus Stefan's here. If anyone can pull Damon off the ledge, it'll be him. Best I leave Damon and Elena to deal with their own issues—with Stefan as chaperone. Which in turn reminds me I have a few of my own relationship issues to work out.

I hurry to Caroline's little silver Prius and commit my first GTA…

At least I left a note, right?

**Lockwood Estate:**

I park Caroline's 'borrowed' Prius in front of the huge white mansion and take a minute to compose myself. I flip down the drivers visor and check my appearance in the mirror there. Make-up—check, hair done—check. I look good and I know it. I also know I shouldn't be so nervous. It's Jeremy. He loves me and hopefully he'll be so happy to see me back, he'll forgive me for lying to him about the fate I knew I faced when I took down the veil and helped everyone cross over.

After a few minutes of talking myself up, I finally get out of the car and head to the front door…

The music is blaring from inside so it's not surprising that I get no answer to my knock. I try the door, find it unlocked and go inside.

And I'm totally unprepared for what I see there.

To my shock, there's Jeremy, in nothing more than a pair of boxers with a blindfold over his eyes.

"Marco," he says, grinning, arms outstretched as if searching for someone.

"Polo," comes a giggling reply from within the living room. And yeah, that is definitely a girl.

Jeremy chuckles and I see her then. A slender brunette wearing nothing but a pair of panties. She darts across the room and dives behind the couch, but her thong covered ass is still sticking halfway out so for all of us who _can_ see—she's not really hiding anything.

"Polo! Come and get me," the twit sing-songs.

Jeremy gets this goofy grin on his face and I feel sick to my stomach. This reunion has gone from hopefully romantic to some kind of really bad 'Girls Gone Wild' video. I remind myself Jeremy thought I was dead and he's alone and single, but seriously, walking in on him with some other girl is so the last way I saw this going, it leaves me completely frozen.

Jeremy stumbles off towards the voice and I turn to escape before this situation can go from heartbreaking to gut-wrenchingly awkward as well. But I must have made some kind of sound because suddenly Jeremy whips his head in my direction and tugs off the blindfold.

"What the hell! Who—?" His expression goes from furious to startled and bewildered in less than a heartbeat. "Bonnie?!" he gasps, and yeah, he's definitely feeling as confused as I am right about now!

Before I can answer though, his playmate bobs her head up from behind the couch. "My name's not Bonnie, silly. It's Ginger and you still haven't caught me yet."

I shake my head at him, and despite wishing differently, I can't help but feel betrayed. This is as bad as Anna, maybe worse. At least with her I got why he kept it a secret. Why he kissed her; he had fallen for her long before he fell for me.

But this—this is just-ugh!

He's still just staring at me. "Are you for real or am I seeing ghosts again?" Jeremy asks, the thunderstruck expression on his handsome face making him appear far more innocent than his attire lets on.

I finally find my voice. "Sorry, as much as I wish I was dead right now. It's really me." I flash a smile that I know is as fake and fragile as I'm feeling. "Surprise! I'm back."

Jeremy is speechless and maybe that's for the best, because I don't think I want to hear him explain anyhow.

And Ginger, in all her half-naked wisdom, decides that this is a great time to finally come out from behind the couch. "Who are you?" she asks me, crossing her arms over her perky little breasts.

"Obviously an unwanted guest," I reply and turn to leave.

Jeremy races forward and grabs my arm. "Bonnie, wait!"

"Don't!" I snap, yanking my arm away. "I know I was gone, but really…" I make a face. "Is this what you've been doing, Jer?" I see all the empty booze bottles, beer cans and trash from pizza cartons and fast food take out lying on the coffee table and tossed on the floor. It reminds me a bit of Damon's wild days after Katherine wrecked him, except his place never looked like a trash can! "Real classy. Does Tyler know you've turned his parents' house into a whorehouse/pig sty?!"

Ginger, who's now (thankfully) tugging a tank top over her head decides to chime in from the peanut gallery once again. "Hey! I'm not a whore," she chirps as she's rooting around on the floor looking for what I assume is the rest of her clothes. "Jeremy and I are friends."

My brow shoots up to my hairline and Jeremy has the good sense to look embarrassed. "I think your (I air quote) "friend" needs help finding her pants. We'll talk later."

"Bonnie, don't go. Not like this," Jeremy says, trying to stop me from reaching the door.

But I've had enough. Here I was feeling guilty for one kiss while he's been doing (if Ginger's an example of his tastes) anything with legs around Mystic Falls! I attempt to maneuver around him, but Jeremy takes hold of my upper arm again.

"Let me explain…"

All the hurt and anger and confusion I'm feeling rushes to the surface and a burst of pure energy erupts inside me. "No!" I shout and suddenly Jeremy is propelled backwards. He bounces on his ass and slides along the marble tiles of Tyler's entryway. I'm stunned. Okay, that was new. "I'm sorry," I say softly. But I don't say any more. I seriously need to get away from him right now, before I accidentally hurt him.

"What the hell was that?" he asks, slowly climbing to his feet.

"I don't know," I tell him and it's the truth and thank God the brain trust Ginger is still hunting for her lost virtue somewhere in Tyler's living room, because that was a major gust of power from me and the last thing I need is someone like her seeing me use magic. "I've got to go, Jer. If you want to talk—call me later. Once I've calmed down," I say, making a beeline for the door.

He must feel the magic rolling off me, because he simply nods.

I march to the door and without even trying it just swings opens for me and then slams shut as soon as I cross the threshold. And I know that's weird. My magic has never been this strong, but maybe I'm still juiced up from Damon's blood, or maybe it's because I'm just that pissed at Jer right now. I'm not sure what it is, but when I look at Jeremy's truck parked in front—all four tires suddenly explode and the vehicle drops to the ground on its rims with a loud crash.

I jump back into Caroline's Prius and zip out of there before Jeremy or (God help me) Ginger comes out and sees the damage I've done to his truck. The last thing I want to do is harm someone with my magic, but the way I'm feeling… I take a few deep breaths to settle myself and it works, but I can still feel the power just radiating within me.

It's a little scary actually.

Yeah, I'm going to have to figure out if this is because of the blood-sharing or did Morrigan do this when she leveled that gigantic magical headache on me when I went through the portal. She did say she was the High Priestess of Witches. Maybe she gave me the magical overhaul. But why? She would have to know I would use my power to protect Damon from her.

It made no sense and I decided to skip going by my house for some extra clothes in order to head back to the boarding house ASAP. A change in outfits could wait. Finding out what took Damon's memories and made me into 'super witch' couldn't.

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**Elena's POV**

We've all assembled in the great room of the boarding house. Stefan and Caroline along with Damon and myself.

Damon was quick to get Stefan when he learned Ric compelled more than just my love for him from my memory. They pow-wowed in a corner for several minutes before Stefan went through pretty much the same list of questions Damon had already asked me and after repeating again that 'No, I don't remember Katherine taking control of my body, or anyone named Aaron or Damon and I driving full speed into The Grille'. The inquisition was finally over.

"You need to call Ric and tell him to get his wanna-be Original ass over here and fix her," Damon growls at Stefan as he heads to the drink cart and pours himself a full glass of bourbon. "She wanted to forget me not an entire year of her life!"

I sigh. He still hasn't really said anything to me after he dragged me out of his room and I don't blame him. I can't even imagine what he's feeling right now considering we're supposedly this 'epic love' affair. It sounds so preposterous to me, but even Stefan says we were meant for each other.

And maybe I could see it if my 'epic love' would actually talk to me. Instead, he speaks to Stefan 'about' me and when I respond, he directs his replies to his brother yet again.

And soon the brothers are once again sequestered away and while Stefan and Damon put their heads together and try and reach Ric, I ask Caroline a few questions of my own. To hear her tell it, I was insanely in love with Damon—so much so that I went on some freaky kind of drug induced binge after he died just so I could hallucinate him and keep him with me.

I'm reminded of my letter to myself. "I wanted a fresh start," I tell her.

"You can still have that, Elena. He isn't forcing you to remember."

"I know. And as good as forgetting all the pain I went through sounds, I made that choice when I thought he was lost to me forever. He isn't now. He's right here and I feel this pull towards him."

My eyes drift over to Damon and for a long moment I stare at him. I've always thought he was good looking. I mean, hello, I do have eyes in my head, but I don't recall being affected by him like I am now. When I was in his room earlier, there was this intense attraction. My mouth watered and my gums actually ached—my response was instinctual and a part of me wanted to climb right in his bed and have him give me a physical narrative of some of our best and brightest moments! It was intense and I know I want to remember a passion like that.

"And…that's good, right?" Caroline says. "That means somewhere, even though you compelled your love away. You still feel it."

"But what if he doesn't forgive me, even after I get my memories back."

"He will. Trust me, Damon loves you. You're the only thing he's really ever loved. He'll forgive you."

"I guess we'll see huh?"

Caroline nods her head. "So, you've decided then? You're going to ask Ric to lift the compulsion?"

"Yeah," I reply. I look to Damon again. He's on the phone now (hopefully with Ric) and for a second our eyes meet. There's so much said between us in that instant, before he turns away. I see his pain and I want to bleed for being the cause of it, but I can't, because a part of me still sees him as a psychotic killer, and honestly, that hurts almost as bad as realizing I may have given up on the love of my life just months before he returned to me.

"I loved him, Care. I may not understand it right now, but if I needed drugs and then compulsion to help me get through losing him…" I swallow thickly. It seems so weird to be saying this about Damon—almost surreal, but… "Obviously, I loved him more than I've ever loved anyone or anything in my life and I want to remember what that kind of love feels like. I need to remember."

Damon hangs up the phone. For the first time since he brought me downstairs he talks directly to me. "Okay, so Ric will be here in a couple hours. Hopefully he can do a little rewiring with your compulsion and give you back the year you forgot. Minus, of course, the warm and squishies you used to have for me."

"Damon…"

"Don't Elena. Seriously, just don't," he says and turns his back on me.

I start to argue, but Stefan shakes his head at me and I'm reminded Damon has been through hell and back. And instead of telling him to stop being such an ass! I bite my lip and don't tell him how his attitude is really starting to bug me.

"Where's Bonnie?" I ask instead.

"She went to see Jeremy," Caroline says, her smile just a tad too bright and I recognize 'keeping the peace' Caroline coming out. "She probably won't be back for a while." She grins. "I'm thinking lots of making up to do."

Damon pours himself a glass of bourbon. His third—or maybe it's the fourth since we've come downstairs. "Now there's a reunion that was probably worth the whole dying thing."

Damon looks right at me and it's not just pain in his eyes, there's anger there too and…disappointment.

I feel like such a coward now and I hate it.

He smirks as if he knows exactly what I'm thinking. "I bet Jeremy didn't hit the delete button, huh?"

I flinch when he says that, and without thinking, I give in to my irritation and snap back at him. "No, he didn't. Instead, he's sleeping his way through the entire Mystic Falls cheerleading squad to forget Bonnie!" I flash Damon a smirk. "Would you have preferred me to do that?"

Before I even finish my sentence I see everyone staring at me wide eyed. Caroline is shaking her head, trying to give me the sign to shut up, but I was so focused on Damon during my little rant, I didn't see it. But one look at her horrified face and I just know…my stomach starts to churn as I turn around, and oh God! Sure enough, Bonnie is standing right behind me.

I want to crawl into the darkest corner of hell and just disappear. How could I have blurted that out like that?

"Oh my God, Bonnie! I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have—"

She holds up her hand to stop what I'm pretty sure was about to become an endless rambling apology.

"It's not your fault, Elena, and honestly, it's not new news either." And Bonnie does what she's always done, she pulls herself together and seems to grow a little taller in her dignity. She shrugs as if to downplay her emotions and my heart breaks just a little more. "I ran into Jeremy and one of his...uh…new friends at Tyler's. I didn't really go well."

Everyone seems to try and console her at once, but Bonnie just shakes her head and stops all of our excuses dead in their tracks. "And before you all make excuses. It's okay. I realize he thought I was dead. I just need some time to process and I really don't want to hear all the gory details right now. Okay?"

I nod, but my grief at having put my brother's business out there for the world to see-and in turn embarrassing her as well-must have shown on my face, because Bonnie comes to me and then she's hugging me.

"Don't worry, 'Lena, I'm okay and I've really missed you," she says.

"I'm so sorry, Bon," I breathe and wrap my arms around her; it's incredible. I start to cry, because I never thought I'd see her again. "Please forgive me." And she does. Just like that she tells me it's alright and she loves me and I wish it was that simple with Damon, but it isn't. But at least I have my best friend back and maybe she can help me reconnect with him. After all she's spent the last six months with Damon. Bonnie must know him pretty well.

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**Alright guys so hope you enjoyed it…click that little blue button and let me know what you think.**

**A/N 2: Had to add this after tonight's episode and the previews for next week's. So, at first Elena didn't want her memories back and then she did—but of course by then it was too late. Ric is human. And according to the previews—Elena doesn't have a breakthrough moment and *once again* Damon is going to be her whipping boy! And to add insult to injury, we've revamped an oldie and moldy plotline where Elena goes to a dance and (we can just add any face here- Stefan-Liam-Billy Joe Bob) she brings another guy. And (whew big shocker here guys) Damon gets jealous! *yawn* Okay—been there, done that. Can we just add infinitum on this scenario and get over it already Julie Plec?! I have to say, I have been so unimpressed with this season of TVD. It's like seriously? And I'll say this, I simply cannot watch Damon pine away in the shadows again just wishing for Elena to love him (for like the umpteenth time!). UGH! I have to change it. Trust me guys, in this story, Damon will never-ever be the love sick fool TVD writers want to ram down our throats each week. No. Instead, he's the prize everyone wants. And sorry for the rant, but if they wanted Damon to be unlovable—they should have picked another actor besides Ian Smoulderholder to play him! Right? ;) Who's with me on that?**

**Okay, so I'll keep this Damon-centric and hopefully I'll see you guys next time. Thanks again for all your love and support. :) **


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